Dish supporting rack structure



.May 10, 1949. J. G. IDLE DISH SUPPORTING RACK STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 51, 1945 INVENTOR JAMES B. IDLE ATTORNEY V WITNESSES: 27 W May 10, 1949. J. G. IDLE DISH SUPPORTING RACK STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 31, 1945 O0O0OOG 00000 J 5'- 0000;

F/cs.2.

INVENTOR TAMEs 6. IDLE WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY J. G. IDLE May 10, 1949;

Filed Aug. 31, 1945 FIG. 3.

' INVENTOR JAMES 6.ID|.E

BY 5 I a NE ES Patented May 10, 1949 DISH SUPPORTING RACK STRUCTURE James G. Idle, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 31, 1945, Serial No. 613,768

Claims.

1 My invention relates to dish-supporting racks for mechanical dishwashers and has for an object to provide an improved rack of this kind.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved rack having high capacity for storing cups, saucers and table glasses in a mechanical dishwasher,

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack of the kind set forth which positions the supported ware so that it will not shift during operation of the water-projecting means of the washer and which will permit drainage of water from all parts of the dishware at the-conclusion of the washing operation.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a mechanical dishwasher having my improved rack structure applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the washer viewed from the plane IIII (Fig. 1) and illustrating a rack portion and a silverware basket, not shown in Fig. 1 for the sake of clearness; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improved rack partially loaded with dishware.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown my improved dish-supporting rack, generally at It, arranged within an upper region of a washing chamber l I of a conventional propeller type dishwashing machine. The washing machine H is arranged within a vat l2, the side walls l3 of which are formed as a square with rounded corners, as best shown in Fig. 2. The bottom wall of the vat I2 is depressed, as shown at M, to form a sump [5 for a body of washing Water. Water is admitted to and discharged from the sump l5 by suitable valve-controlled conduits (not shown).

Water is projected from the sump upwardly and outwardly within the washing chamber II by a rotary impeller l6 driven by an electric motor H, the latterbeing supported by a suitable bracket structure I8 from the bottom of the vat l2. The motor I! has a driving shaft I'H which projects upwardly through the bottom of the vat 2 and is connected to the impeller l6 in any well-understood manner. The dishwasher structure also includes a lower dish-supporting rack structure, generally indicated at IQ, for the support of flatware, such as dinner plates, meat platters, etc. As the rack I9 forms no part of 2 the present invention, it has not been shown in detail. The rack I9 is disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 593,921, filed May 15, 1945. A suitable closure or lid may be hinged to the vat l2 for closing the chamber ll.

My improved rack structure III, which functions primarily as a support for teacups, saucers and glassware, includes outer and inner frame members 2| and 22, respectively, which are preferably formed of wire with a suitable nonrusting finish thereon. The outer frame 2| is formed as a square with rounded corners, as shown at 23, to closely conform to the walls of the vat l2, as best shown in Fig. 2. In this connection, the outer frame may be otherwise formed, depending upon the shape of the side wall structure l3 of the vat. The frame 2| includes side wires 24; which are connected to the rounded corner portions 23, as best shown in Fig. 3. The inner frame 22 includes side wires 25, which are arranged generally parallel to the side wires 24 and are spaced inwardly of the rack structure.

A third frame or cup-supporting rail 26 having side wires 21 is arranged below the space intervening between the frames 2| and 22. The rail structure 26 and the frame 25 function to support teacups in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3. The relative positioning of the rail 26 and the frame 25 maintains the cup with its rim in a substantially vertical plane, in order that water may drain from all surfaces of the cup, including the small well, indicated at 28, which is usually formed in the bottom of the cup.

The saucers to be supported are arranged in the space intermediate the outer frame 24 and the rail 26, the frame 24 functioning as a rest for the upper portion of the back side of the saucers. The lower edges of the saucers are carried by sup-' porting or tie members 3|, which, as shown, are connected, as by welding, to the outer and inner frames 2| and 22 and to the cup-supporting rail 26. The saucer supports 3| are preferably formed to define two relatively long legs 32, which extend downwardly from the frame 2|, and two shorter legs 33, which extend downwardly from the cup rail 26. The lower ends of the legs 32 and 33 are respectively connected by saucer-supporting wires 34. Preferably, the saucer supporting tie members 3| include inwardly and up-' wardly extending wire members 35 which are secured to the inner frame 25. The saucer-supporting members 3| function to securely tie the inner and outer frames 2| and 22 and the rail 26 together and to properly position these memhers. An additional frame member ll, generally similar in configuration to. the outer frame member 2|, is spaced therebelow and is secured, as by welding, to the saucer supports ll at the lower ends of the legs 32 thereof.

In order to position the cups lengthwise of the rail 24 and to provide support for glassware, a plurality of fingers 31 are provided which extend outwardly from below the frame 25 toward the rail 24, but terminate in spaced relation with the rail 2|. Preferably, these fingers 31 are defined by a sinuous wire member 38, which is secured, as by welding,-to the leg portions 35 of the saucer supports II. The spacing of the fingers 21 is such that the recesses 39 intervening therebetween are spaced to receive'the rims of the cups, when supported as shown. The projecting fingers 31 function as supports for table glasses, as shown in the upper portion of the perspective View, Fig. 3.

It will be apparent from the description which has preceded, that the width of the dish-supporting portion of the rack It or, in other words,

the spacing between the frames 2| and 22, is

maintained at a minimum and is only slightly greater than the height of a cup, plus the thickness of a saucer, so that a relatively large space is provided interiorly of the rack It for the support of other tableware, as described hereinafter. Although this space between the frames 2| and 4 and thoroughly scours the inner surfaces of the saucers and the interiors of the cups,as well as the inside of the glassware carried in the rack structure It. As the water is directed downwardly from the lid 20 of the dishwasher, it passes over the outer surface of the glassware and the upper portion of the cups for cleansing the same. At the end of the washing operation, or after the body of water has been removed from, the sump I5, particles of water are effectively drained from the cups, saucers and glasses. It is particularly desirable that this water be drained from all surfaces of the cups and saucers, in order to prevent spotting of these members, which configuration, it will be understood that it may 22 is maintained relatively narrow, the cups may be supported with their axes generally horizontal, which is optimum for washing, and the glassware is supported in an inverted position with its axis extending inwardly and downwardly, or in the direction of the impeller l6. l'he recited optimum position for the cup and th e table glass is aiforded by the fingers 31 and the intervening spaces 39, which are defined by the sinuous wire member 38. The fingers 31 also function to prevent shifting of the cups lengthwise of the rail 26 during operation of the impeller.

The large spacewithin the rack structure III is utilized for a rack member ll, shown in Fig. 2, and which includes projecting fingers 42 which rest .upon the inner frame 22. As the construction of the rack ll forms no part of the present invention, it will not be described in detail. It is, however, closely nested within the rack structure II, as shown in Fig. 2, for the support of additional cups, saucers and glasses, or for other be otherwise formed, depending upon the shape of the vat in which it is to be used. I have referred throughout this specification to portions of the rack as "wire members," but it will be understood that, by this expression, I mean, not only metallic wire, but other elongated members formed of metal or otherwise which will provide an openwork structure, as disclosed.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it. will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without support for a conventional teacup, a member having a plurality of spaced fingers defining recesses therebetween, said fingers extending from adjacent the first wire toward the second wire dishes, as desired. Interiorly of the rack H is a silverware basket 43 which may be supported from the rack ll by projections 44, in a wellunderstood manner. The silverware basket forms no part of the present invention and is, therefore, not described in detail. For the sake of clearness of illustration, I have omitted from Fig. 1 the showing of the rack ll and the silverwai'e basket 43.

The rack structure Ill may be supported within the washing chamber II in any well-understood manner, such as, for example, by means of upstanding wire columns 45 which are clipped, .as shownat 46, to the lower rack l9, and which are provided with respective seats 41 at, their upper ends, upon which seats 41 the lower outer frame member it rests. This manner of supporting the upper rack III is conventional and well understood in the art. The upstanding columns 45 are usually arranged at the corners of the racks or within the corners of the wall structure of the vat.

During operation, the water projected by the impeller I6 is directed upwardly and outwardly and terminating in spaced relation therewith, the spacing of said fingers being such that the intervening recesses defined thereby are positioned to receive the rim of said teacup, and means securing said wires and said member together.

2. In a dish-supporting rack, the combination of an inner, generally horizontal frame, a rail member arranged outwardly of and below said frame for the support of cups or the like, a plurality of spaced fingers extending from adjacent the inner frame toward said rail member and terminating in spaced relation therewith, said fingers defining spaced recesses therebetween which are open toward the rail member, the spacing of the fingers being such that the recesses defined thereby are positioned to receive the rims of the supported cups; and means securing said frame, rail member and fingers together.

3. In a dish-supporting rack, the combination of laterally spaced first and second elongated frame members arranged generally horizontally and parallel, a third elongated frame member generally parallel to the first and second frame members and disposed below the space intervening between the first and second frame members for the support of a conventional cup, a support having a plurality of spaced fingers extending toward the third frame member and terminating in spaced relation therewith, the spacing of said fingers being such that the recesses therebetween are positioned to receive the rim of said cup, a plurality of tie members transversely arranged with respect to said frame members and including respective legs fixed to spaced portions of the first frame member and extending downwardly therefrom, said tie members including respective second legs fixed to and extending upwardly from the bottoms of the first-mentioned legs and means securing said frame members, said fingers and the tie members together.

4. In a dish-supporting rack, the combination of spaced inner and outer frame members arranged generally horizontally in concentric relation, a third frame member generally concentric with the irmer and outer frame members and disposed below the space intervening therebetween, a plurality of tie members transversely arranged with respect to the recited frame members and connected thereto, each of said tie members including leg portions secured to and extending downwardly from the respective outer and third frame members, the lower ends of said leg portions being connected together, and means carried by the tie members and defining a plurality of fingers spaced apart lengthwise of the frame members and extending from adjacent the inner frame member toward the third frame member, the spacing of the fingers being such that the recesses therebetween are positioned to receive the rim of an ordinary teacup when disposed with its side wall resting upon the third frame member.

5. In a rack for supporting dishes, the come 6 bination of spaced innerand outer rectangular frames arranged generally horizontally and in concentric relation, 8. third rectangular frame disposed below the space intervening between the inner and outer frames and defining a supporting rail for cups or the like, a member having a plurality of fingers formed thereon extending outwardly from adjacent the inner frame toward the third frame and terminating in spaced relation therewith, said fingers being spaced apart lengthwise of the frames such that the recesses between the spaced fingers are positioned to receive the rim of a cup when disposed horizontally on said rail, a. plurality of transverse ties arranged between the outer frame and said rail, each of said ties including legs extending downwardly from the respective outer and third frames and connected at their bottom ends, and means connecting said frames, said member and said transverse ties together.

JAMES G. IDLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 542,734 Johnson July 16, 1895 1,161,621 Craven Nov. 23, 1915 1,176,697 Blakeslee Mar. 21, 1916 2,035,625 Walker Mar. 31, 1936 2,284,025 Stockham May 26. 1942 

